The Weekly Top 3

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week - for the week of January 6, 2019.In this, our first podcast of 2020, we focus on the Top 3 stories we see for the year ahead: 1) what the numbers tell us about where we are headed in the coming year, and more importantly, decade (1:54), 2) as the state pushes down costs, the muni's are asking for a piece of the...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week - for the week of December 23, 2019.Our last this year, this week we review the 2019 Top 3. 1) In the end, not even 16 out of 60 in the legislature were willing to back up the Governor on a "cuts only" approach (2:06), 2) one oil era on the North Slope comes to an end; an uncertain one comes next (17:15), an...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week - for the week of December 16, 2019.This week our Top 3 focuses entirely on the Governor's budget proposal. In the first segment we talk about the challenges faced in dealing with the FY20 supplemental and FY21 budget (at 1:45). In the second, we take up the 10-year plan to discuss what lies beyond that (25:56)....

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week - for the week of December 9, 2019.This week our Top 3 issues are these: 1) what the Fall Revenue Forecast tells us about this year and the future (at 1:36); 2) why Sen. Shelley Hughes proposed spending cap is an ineffective placebo (23:25); and 3) what we should take away from last week's warning from the Perman...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of December 2, 2019.This week our Top 3 issues are these: 1) what we expect to see in the coming Fall Revenue Forecast and the Governor's FY21 budget proposal (at 1:43); 2) ANWR isn't only an Alaska issue, its become a global one as well (and not in a good way) (20:32); and 3) as the oil tax i...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of November 25, 2019.This week our Top 3 issues are these: 1) what Gov. Dunleavy's address last week to the Alaska Municipal League says to us about next year's budget (at 1:46), 2) what we will remember retiring Leg Finance head David Teal for most (19:11), and 3) why Conoco's proposal t...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of November 18, 2019.This week our Top 3 issues are these: 1) what Bruce Tangeman's resignation as Revenue Comm'r likely means for fiscal policy (at 1:47), 2) why we won't get spending under control as long as we rely on PFDcuts (and why we will if we use a mechanism that taxes the Top20%...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of November 11, 2019.This week our Top 3 issues are these: 1) why a statewide sales tax is simply another Top20% effort at pushing costs off on middle & lower income Alaska families (at 1:46), 2) why the Saudi Aramco IPO is significant to Alaskans (23:27), and 3)why the disclosure of Hilcorp's...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of November 4, 2019.This week our Top 3 issues are these: 1) is the "spending cap" #akleg leadership says they are focusing on, "effective" (at 1:48); 2) using sales taxes -- another regressive tax -- to fill the budget gap is simply the Top20% fallback position (18:34); and 3) a new...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of October 28, 2019.This week our Top 3 issues are these: 1) only four months in, this year's Alaska budget deficit is already growing (at 1:48), 2) there is a new, proposed North Slope LNG project (23:00), and 3) as we head into the 2020 election cycle, its important that Alaskans focus on the fac...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of October 21, 2019.This week our Top 3 issues are these: 1) the Top20% are long on talking about compromise, but ignore it when offered (at 1:40); 2) Charles Wohlforth's series on the PFD in the ADN is an important read, but proves a different point than he may intend (21:22); and 3) the oil tax i...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of October 14, 2019.The Weekly Top 3 is a regular weekly segment on The Michael Dukes Show. The Show broadcasts on FacebookLive and via streaming audio from the Show’s website weekdays from 6-8am. I join Michael each week on Tuesday’s show, from 6:20-7am, for a discussion between the two of us about the...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of October 7, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1) in our view, why those resisting other taxes are prolonging PFDcuts (at 1:37); 2) Sen. Shelley Hughes took a big step at Monday's #akleg PFD Working Group session, now its the Top20%'s turn to take one (20:36); and 3) the University Board of...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of September 30, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1) wasting yet another opportunity to show vision, the ADN editorial board overlooks the middle on the PFD issue (at 1:49); 2) what the Governor's nomination of Josh Revak to the vacant Senate seat, the likely Senate R reaction and his statement...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of September 23, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1) what the new OMB Dir will tell us about the future direction of the Dunleavy Administration (and who we think would send a good message) (at 1:44); 2) why the Alaska GOP's decision to cancel the R Presidential Preference Poll is a big deal (17...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of September 16, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1) our initial take on what the weekend strike on Saudi oil facilities means to Alaska (at 1:47); 2) what Ed King's latest piece on the PFD is telling us about the state's fiscal road ahead (at 12:44); and 3) as federal FY 2019 comes to an e...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of September 9, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1) why, even if the Administration achieves all of its goals next year for spending cuts, we STILL will be talking about more PFD cuts(at 1:45); 2) what the Permanent Fund's continued strong returns mean for the current generation (its not everyth...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of September 2, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1)our first take on what BP's sale to Hilcorp means for Alaska (at 1:44); 2)yet another op-ed in support of cutting the PFD (or, put another way, yet another effort to save the Top20% from contributing toward the costs of govt)(18:57); and 3)at a...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of August 26, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1) both the ADN and NewsMiner editorial pages throw in with the Top20% hook, line and sinker, by calling for PFD cuts without even addressing other revenue options first (at 2:00); 2) going in the opposite direction from the ADN and NewsMiner, a newly re...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of August 19, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1) the "second veto" budget - what's in it and where do we go from here (at 1:41); 2) a live lesson in hypocrisy - many of those who are pushing to maintain govt spending are voting to avoid paying for it themselves (24:26), and 3) what a...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of August 12, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1) what a deep dive into Alaska's 10-year forecast reveals (hint: it's not pretty)(at 1:38); 2) what should be the ultimate goal in the coming #AKoil tax debate (18:19), and 3) should the Governor veto less than a full PFD (29:10). The Weekly T...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of August 5, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1) what we think of legislative leadership's push for a PFD-only session (at 1:31); 2) oil prices take a dive - what does that mean for Alaska's fiscal situation (21:33), and 3) the U is starting down the right road (29:50). The Weekly Top 3 is...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of July 29, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1) our assessment of the #akleg's budget votes Monday and where are we headed next (at 1:44); 2) why the fiscal meltdown at the federal level is relevant to Alaska's 2020 election (20:59), and 3) why the #AKLNG project is headed into sleep mode (...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of July 22, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1) the University starts moving beyond the denial phase (at 1:37); 2) signs that the #akleg may be working toward a budget deal, but what happens if they don't (12:21), and 3) how do we avoid repeating Groundhog Day on the PFD (23:04). The Weekly Top...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of July 15, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1) HB 2001, the House Finance Committee's hot off the presses troubling proposal to go down the same road again as we've just finished (at 1:45); 2) our concerns with rumors of a PFD "compromise" - it can't just be the PFD (20:30);...